I Want A Green Mandarin (Prep-Work)

twodaend · #1 11/16/2007, 04:50 PM

I want a green madarin, but pretty sure if I can't right now. If i can later, I want to wait another 8 -12 months to prepare. From my understanding they need a well estiblished tank. I'm in no rush, I just want to make sure I'm preparing right. So far I have a 20L with just 2 clowns. I'm in the process of setting up a AC110 to be a fuge with cheto in it, but beyond that I'm not sure what to do.

From my reading, madarin's have a special diet of pods. This is where I'm lost and I'm not sure what to do in the mean time to prepare for a madarin.

Any info would help. Thanks.

aiko670 · #2 11/16/2007, 04:53 PM

Create some rubble piles for the pods to live in in the tank as well, it allows the pods in but keeps the fish out...

twodaend · #3 11/16/2007, 05:06 PM

Do I buy pods, if so, what kind and where? I know I need to do more reading, that is why I'm in no real rush, but I do want to plan and get started.

ShannHell · #4 11/16/2007, 05:17 PM

You can buy them, and with a tank that size you may need to do that every so often to keep a mandarin fat and happy, but just letting your tank mature (and same with the fuge) for now should be just fine. you could buy some and add now, just to boost the population, but for the most part the population increases without predation as the tank matures

ShannHell · #5 11/16/2007, 05:19 PM

Oh, and I have heard that the blue mandarins do better long term than the green, but I can't confirm that (I have a blue myself). I just read that around in forums, haven't read anything "concrete" about it, though.

SlowCobra · #6 11/16/2007, 05:33 PM

In my opinion a Mandarin will not survive long term in an established 20 gal tank. If there was a huge refugium to go with it, possibly. The cost of keeping it will outweigh the joys of having it. They tend to wipe out a ton of pods in a single day. That is why they are only recommended for a well established tank. Also why it is strongly recommended to NOT put 2 pod eating fish in the same tank.

I have a strong feeling that an adequate long term food source is going to be difficult to provide short of spending $30 every couple weeks for a bottle of pods to maintain an adequate pod population.

Again this is my opinion based on my research.

mnestroy · #7 11/16/2007, 08:58 PM

When the time comes get the smallest one you can, might give him a better chance of not starving. Most people say fish grow fast, but I figure you could get a year or so before hes full size and may require a bigger diet.

One way to get different types of pods is o pick up some macro algae from different shops/swaps. Most pods love to hang out on the macro, once in your tank they should reproduce.

Like mentioned a larger fuge will help with your success.

Also I donno if it gona take 8+ months to get your pod population established, if conditions are right they will take off in no time.

Pufferpunk · #8 11/16/2007, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SlowCobra
In my opinion a Mandarin will not survive long term in an established 20 gal tank. If there was a huge refugium to go with it, possibly. The cost of keeping it will outweigh the joys of having it. They tend to wipe out a ton of pods in a single day. That is why they are only recommended for a well established tank. Also why it is strongly recommended to NOT put 2 pod eating fish in the same tank.

I have a strong feeling that an adequate long term food source is going to be difficult to provide short of spending $30 every couple weeks for a bottle of pods to maintain an adequate pod population.

Again this is my opinion based on my research.

^^^^^^
Agreed! 90g minimum, w/fuge is the recomendation to keep a Manderin well-fed.

madadi · #9 11/17/2007, 03:59 AM

ok, so here is what i did but it might not be for everyone.

when i first got my mandarin i put it in a breeding net, i was feeding it live brine shrimp, it loved them. i used garlic extract so he can get used to the garlic taste when it comes to food. i also mixed in frozen brine as well and increasingly switched more and more to frozen till he was eating all frozen enriched with vitamins, selcon, and garlic. he now loves Rods food. i cant get him to eat flakes though. hes 3in and a fatty. it is in a 90gal but i never seen one pod in there. it is hit or miss though. good luck

PI Guy · #10 11/17/2007, 11:13 AM

Ive had one for years now and he has always been happy and healthy. Ive never done anything extra for him. Just make sure you have good rock work and a well established fuge.